samandjack.net

Story Notes: Email: majorsallymurphy@yahoo.com ted.sadler@ntlworld.com

Copyright (c) 2002 Ted Sadler

Spoilers: None

Status: series

Warnings: none

Season: 7?


Grounded

Jack felt his eyes drooping. He sighed, sitting up higher in the bed. `If you don't come out soon, Sam, I'm not going to make it.' Just when he felt his eyes closing, he heard the toilet flush, signalling her return. He heard the door open, and heard her opening and shutting the medicine cabinet a couple of times, but still no appearance.

"Uh, Sam, I'm losing steam here, want to get your butt in here already?"

Sam came out of the bathroom, tossing her robe on a chair along the way as she strolled towards the bed. "Oh, Jack, I love it when you talk dirty to me," she said, smiling, turning down the oil lamp before climbing into bed.

She snuggled close to him, reaching up to kiss him quickly on the lips. She paused, reaching out to caress his face. "Mmmmm, I love it too when you're clean shaven."

Jack chuckled. "Well, it felt like a prerequisite for this," he said, pulling her closer against his body. The perfume was wearing especially for tonight was driving him crazy already.

"The only prerequisite for you, Jack, is to show up," she replied, bringing his face down for a sensual kiss.

~~~~~~~

It never ceased to amaze him what this woman could do to him, Jack thought, as he snuggled against his wife's slightly sweaty form. He smiled, hearing her sigh. He recognized that sigh. It meant that she was satisfied. He grinned; more than satisfied.

"Jack," she mumbled, running her hand seductively down his back.

"Yeah?" he replied, running his own hand down her back to her backside and squeezing. Her appreciative moan made him smile.

"God..." she breathed.

"What?"

"What what?"

"Why'd you say God?"

"I just can't believe how much control you still have over me, Mr. O'Neill," she said, slowly running her hand across his bottom. His answering groan spread a seductive smile across her face.

"Yeah, well..." He moaned again, as she grasped his bottom and pulled him intimately against her. "You've got some incredible control over me yourself, Mrs. O'Neill."

Minutes passed in companiable silence as their hands and mouths sensually explored the other.

"Jack," she muttered.

"Hmmm?" he replied, trailing his tongue along her neck to her earlobe, before taking it into his mouth and suckling lightly.

"I'm happy."

He pulled back a little, looking at her face. "What?"

She sighed, scrunching down to rest her head on his chest. "I love our life."

"Me too, baby," he said, resuming his gentle caresses.

"It's just..."

"It's just what, babe?"

"It's just..." She sighed, pulling his closer and hugging him briefly.

"Sam?"

"I have a wonderful life, Jack. Two great and happy kids, and a loving and sexy husband." She heard him chuckle. "I just wanted you to know that you've given me a happy and fulfilling life, Jack. I just wanted to thank you for that."

He closed his eyes a moment. "Sam, believe me, you've given me much more in return. You're the best thing to ever happen to me, Sam." She pulled him tighter against her.

They lay quietly together a few moments, holding the other tight.

"Thank you, Mr. O'Neill."

"Back atcha, Mrs. O'Neill."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Often, on the occasions when they had enjoyed each other the night before, one of two things would happen. Either of them would wake at dawn, and start a chain reaction of holding, squeezing, caressing which the other would respond to sooner or later, leading to the inevitable. Alternatively, they would wake to find that one or sometimes two junior O'Neill's had silently climbed in during the night to be found sound asleep between them. Fortunately the dog only rarely joined them.

Sam woke to see their son Bart facing her, fast asleep against his father. Jack lay behind him, his head propped up on one hand, smiling at her. In that instant she knew that the loving words they had spoken last night could not possibly describe how good this moment really was, so she just lay there smiling back at them, entwining her fingers with Jack's, drawing them to her lips.

The sound of someone knocking loudly on their door at this hour was not usual, though, and Jack got up quickly to attend to it. He opened the door to see Jacob Carter unsaddling a horse and setting about watering it.

"Jack!" cried Jacob. "Good to see you! Got breakfast on the go yet?"

Jack stood ruffling his hair, still a little taken aback by his father-in-law's early morning arrival. He must have travelled at night from the Stargate, not something many people did on this world. This wasn't just a social visit, then.

Sam dressed quickly at the sounds of activity downstairs and greeted her father with a warm hug. "Dad!" She got no further before the kids and the dog rushed up to him as well.

Jacob was quickly enrolled into the morning routines of getting the kitchen fire going, breakfasting and getting the children off to the village school. Sam was not due to take lessons until later in the day, so she returned a little later to find Jack and her father sitting at the table, drinking the local beverage, which Jacob had described as more like tea than coffee, but not quite either.

"So, Jacob?" asked Jack.

Jacob's face lost the real warmth he had felt on seeing his family, and he started. "I won't exaggerate, Jack. The situation back on Earth has reached a critical point and it's quite possible that a full-scale war will break out over access to the Stargate. To cut to the chase, I need you to come back and try to knock some sense into politicians in several countries."

"Oh, nothing major, then." quipped Jack. "Just how do I do that, remind me, will ya? The last time we were there was when Sam found out about the NID plan to shut me down, as I recall."

"Jack, this has got to come from you, not a non-human. You can appear on a world-wide TV broadcast and tell what the view looks like from this side of the universe, not from the side of one Earth government or another. It may not ultimately make a difference, but you started this when you flooded the Stargate and blew away the great secret. Will you ever forgive yourself if you don't try?"

Jack had no answer, and Sam knew it just as well. "Pity the soul of Copernicus." he sighed, drawing a wry smile from his wife. They spent the rest of the morning planning how to make the trip.

Jacob sat on his horse, holding Jack's mount, while his daughter and son-in-law said their goodbyes. Unlike their missions in the old days on SG-1, Sam and Jack felt the full sadness of parting and the dread that, for some reason, it might be for the last time. The feeling had got worse on each of the three missions they had undertaken from their exile on this world to help the Asgard, and this time was definitely the last, they vowed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

By nightfall Jack and Jacob had reached the Stargate. Just two hours later, Jack found himself walking from a Tel'tak to a CNN field broadcast caravan. His total surprise at seeing the person who greeted him had not disappeared by the time he sat in front of the cameras, as the live broadcast was beginning.

"We're rolling", said a disembodied voice.

"Good evening, world. I'm Jonas Quinn, Chief Science and Weather Correspondent for CNN International. It's my special privilege tonight to bring you a live interview with the man who indirectly caused the Stargate to become public knowledge, Colonel Jack O'Neill, of the United States Air Force." He paused briefly before continuing.

"The tension that exists in the world today is perhaps the inevitable result of one nation, it happens to be the USA this time, trying to keep secret something so fundamentally important to the whole world. As we speak, several countries are making preparations for armed conflict, to establish what they see as their right to have free access to the Galactic portal still buried in Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado, under the total control of the US military.

The public revelations of the last few years – the vast network of Earth-like planets connected by Stargates, and the existence of alien races that represent friend and foe to us – have failed to unite this world. Whatever your viewpoint, apart from the isolationist groups who want to bury the gate, from the missionary societies of various religions who would use it to preach their gospels, to the expansionists who want to emigrate from our overcrowded world, free access to interstellar travel is seen as a right, not a privilege."

Jonas turned to face Jack. "Colonel O'Neill, am I correct in thinking that the events of your sudden disappearance seven years ago, and the flooding of the Colorado Stargate from the sea bed of another world a short time later were connected in some way?"

"Er, yes Jonas, they were. I wanted to show that the Stargate wasn't invulnerable, but not to disable it so completely that the Earth would remain defenceless against the Goa'uld. I reckoned that trying to dispose of that amount of sea water in the middle of Colorado would arouse suspicions, and maybe lead to investigations into what was going on inside the mountain. Seems it worked. Also, I didn't believe that a secret government agency of the USA should be the sole representative of the whole Earth. Nor should any one nation, come to that."

"Why not?"

"Look at it this way. There are more stars visible in the sky than all the grains of sand on Earth. And more galaxies than stars. So far we think there are around 26,000 planets with Stargates, but that's a guess and there could be many times more. It should matter to everyone on Earth who or what comes and goes through this needle's eye of a communication channel.

And just try to see it from the other side. How many of those other societies out there could give a damn if humanity wiped itself out arguing over domestic matters? Some worlds we've seen have already done that to themselves. It's time for our people involved in international politics to grow up and start acting like they want a future for the planet."

The interview continued with questions from Jonas about the varied races that exist and the threat posed by the Goa'uld, with short but honest answers from Jack, who was really impressed with his former team member's professionalism as a TV presenter and interviewer. It seemed that Jonas had found a satisfying outlet for his immense ability to acquire knowledge.

Jonas concluded his broadcast. "So there you have it, ladies and gentlemen. If you care how your government representatives handle this crisis, then make your views known to them. This is Jonas Quinn, for CNN International, October 8th 2009."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"So, Jack, where to now?" said Jonas, as they walked away from the caravan. "If you've got the time, I'd really like to catch up on how you're doing."

"Love to, Jonas, but I can't take the risk of…"

"Being arrested as a wanted criminal?" came a deep voice from behind them. They spun round to see two dark-suited men carrying zats. One of them pointed his at Jonas and held it up to fire.

"Oh no, not again!" sighed Jonas before the blue fire encircled him and he collapsed to the ground. Jack stood still and stared at his pursuers.

"Colonel O'Neill, you are under arrest on charges of desertion from the US Air Force, being absent without leave, and for the kidnapping and abduction of Major Samantha Carter, USAF. Other charges relating to National Security matters may follow."

Jacob Carter, watching through binoculars in the Tel'tak, had no option but to immediately engage the engines and climb as rapidly out of the atmosphere as he could.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sam had never experienced such anxiety in her whole life. Three days after he had left, there was still no word from Jack or her father. She therefore let her maths class in the school out slightly early when her home-built pager signalled that the Asgard communicator in their former residence was active. After arranging for their children to stay with a neighbour, she hurried on foot from the village, climbing the winding path to the house, where she arrived breathless some 45 minutes later. She rushed straight through and started the two-way comms sequencer.

An image of her father shimmered into steadiness and she searched his face, looking for an expression of satisfaction or hope, but found none. "Dad? What's happening?"

"Sammy, I don't know how to tell you." He paused, and Sam thought that his symbiote was going to take over, but Jacob remained in control. "Jonas Quinn – he's now a news chief with CNN, by the way, interviewed Jack on a global TV program and it went just great. But on their way out, Jonas got zapped and Jack was taken away by two US agents. Seems like they *arrested* him. Anyway, he's gone missing."

"What do you mean, gone missing? How do they know they were Americans that took him?"

"Well, the news people asked about Jack being taken and the authorities denied all knowledge of it. So then they broadcast a clip on TV from the trailer security camera which clearly showed Jonas being zatted and Jack knocked to the ground and being dragged into a limo. No other Earth nation has zats, as far as we know."

"So they're denying that they've got him?"

"Not any more. The news people issued a writ of habeas corpus against the Attorney General. After a days' delay, they claimed that there had been `an administrative oversight' and that he was being held by the NID before being handed over to the Air Force, to answer charges of desertion and kidnapping you seven years ago. You want to tell me about that one, Sam?"

Sam had to think for a moment. "Oh, yeah. When we skipped out, Jack insisted that we left the impression that I'd been taken against my will, in case we didn't get far and there'd be an out for me. You know Jack….. You'd think that the penny would have dropped when I didn't go back, but I guess not. So where's he now?"

"At some NID Safe House, I suppose. We just don't know. And frankly, I don't know how we're going to get him off the desertion charges. But if you can show the world that you're alive and well, we can probably get the kidnap charges dropped."

"I can help there, Jacob." said a voice off camera. The tracker panned left slightly and Jonas' face came into view. "Hello, Sam. Long time no see."

"Jonas!" cried Sam. "What are you doing there?"

"I left the SGC five years ago, to join the media, after there was nothing left for me to read or catalogue at the SGC. I'm a TV presenter now! Ever heard of a `News Storm', Sam? No government in recent times has stood up to a concerted campaign by the media, when they think they're on to something."

"No, Jonas, I haven't seen a newspaper or TV in seven years." she replied. `And I haven't missed them, either.' was the added thought.

"Well, if I can interview you, and you tell how your decision was voluntary, then they'll have no case against him on those grounds. But you will make yourself liable for desertion charges as well."

"I can live with that if it gets Jack back. Frankly, Jonas, we haven't wanted to go back to Earth for several years now. But I can't see how the Air Force will give him back to me willingly. And then there's the little matter of flooding the Stargate, which I suppose he owned up to on TV?"

"Yes, but that's the least of our worries. Jack's appearance and his story has certainly changed the tempo of a build-up towards war. There's a lot more opposition facing governments everywhere over the last couple of days, and the negotiations at the UN are being extended. We can't say that they won't start fighting, but it's a breathing space." A sudden frown passed across Jonas' face, followed by a glimpse of a smile. "Ah…… I nearly forgot something. Just trust me Sam, I think there may be a way out."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Quiet now! 3….2….1 - we're rolling!" said the voice behind the camera.

"Welcome once again, ladies and gentlemen. This is Jonas Quinn, with Breaking News on the disappearance of Colonel Jack O'Neill after his Earth-shattering interview on this station three days ago.

As our security camera shows, the Colonel was taken by two US Government agents as he left that interview. We'll just run that scene again to remind ourselves of what took place. Ah, yes, there's yours truly being fired on with an alien weapon, and I can tell you that it hurts just as much as you think it does. And there's Colonel O'Neill. You've got to admire the way the two agents anticipate that he's going to resist arrest, by the expert way they throw him to the ground and kick him like that."

Sam winced as she saw for the first time what had happened. Neither of them were as fit, nor as hardened to violence as they had been in former years. She was glad that their kids weren't watching at the moment.

"After legal moves by this station," continued Jonas, "we learned that Colonel O'Neill is under arrest for desertion and kidnapping. Well, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am interviewing tonight the woman he supposedly kidnapped seven years ago, Major Samantha Carter." He looked away from his camera to where another one was pointing at Sam. "Well, Major, what have you got to say to these events?"

Jonas was surprised to see Sam standing, holding hands with her two children. He knew almost nothing of Sam and Jack's life together. "Good evening, Mr. Quinn. In fact, I'm now Mrs. Jack O'Neill. We were married three months after we escaped, and these are our children, Kathrin and Bart. And those facts alone should tell you that Colonel O'Neill did not kidnap or abduct me. I discovered that his life was under threat from the NID, and just did what I had to."

Recovering quickly from his surprise, Jonas questioned her about the details of her movements seven years before. Sam candidly described how she had seen the NID memo, and how she had not thought twice about helping Jack. As he listened, Jonas remembered - as he had repeatedly done since - that showing her the secret files at the time had been his way of trying to impress her, to get closer to her. How could he have mis-read the situation so badly?

His professional attitude overrode his own feelings (he knew just who he had learned that trick from) as he revealed that copies of the infamous NID memo were now circulating widely amongst the world's press.

Sam refused to reveal any more details of what had happened after their flight from Earth, and so he took the interview to a close. As he signed off, Sam turned away from the camera, shepherding her children away. However she looked back in alarm as a loud crash signalled the studio door opening, and two dark figures burst in, pointing a zat at her. "Stay where you are!" cried the first man, as Jonas dived for cover behind a the desk. Sam continued moving away, but not before she saw the bright blue flash as the weapon discharged. Unperturbed, she continued walking, knowing that her holographic image so many light years away in the studio would be immune.

`Those bastards!' she fumed, keeping quiet for her children's sake. `They thought we were there in the flesh, and fired at me, even with the kids there. Oh, Jack, what are they doing to you now?'

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The world took its usual course over the next few days and the peace negotiations at the UN were no further forward than before Jack's appearance. After various governments issued statements that the USA had no right to withold access to the Stargate, followed by a counter-statement that the world's most powerful nation had a duty to enforce global stability, the crisis broke in the most unexpected manner. It was the interview that – literally – launched Jonas' media career into orbit.

After the usual TV introduction, the special guest spoke. "I am General Jacob Carter, formerly of the US Air Force. I now act as liaison officer to maintain the alliance between the SGC and the Tok'ra, having been host to a symbiote for the last eleven years." His head dipped briefly before his eyes flashed.

"And I am Selmak, now the other side of Jacob Carter. He speaks for two of the greatest allies of Earth, The Asgard and the Tok'ra. Listen carefully to his words. What you decide will have the greatest impact on our fight against the Goa'uld for many thousands of years." His head nodded again, and Jacob resumed.

"It is clear that the nations of Earth do not have trust in each other, and there is no resolution to this conflict in sight. But the Tau'ri are sorely needed to prevent us all being enslaved by the most fearsome race of all. I have come to tell you that the Earth's moon now possesses an extensive set of underground tunnels and chambers, constructed by the Tok'ra. In these, the Asgard have set up a second Stargate, open to all and any nations on Earth who would either fight against the Goa'uld or engage in peaceful activities with other planets.

Access to the new Stargate from Earth will be exclusively by shuttlecraft like the Tel'tak you see behind me. This means that there will be no opportunity for mass emigration, nor embarkation of large armies in one movement. We will exclude nations who show unwarranted belligerence to other peoples. The choice is theirs. All will receive details on the workings of this new, er, service, if you like to think of it as such. The gate in Cheyenne Mountain can continue in operation, either under the sole control of the present authorities, or whatever other arrangement they care to negotiate. But I tell you, neither the Tok'ra nor the Asgard will make treaties with any one Earth nation. This is your opportunity to grow together and survive, or to turn back the clock by hundreds of years.

Oh, and I conclude with a special request to the government of the United States. Colonel Jack O'Neill is regarded by the Asgard as their special ambassador to Earth. They owe him a personal debt of gratitude for assistance both from his time at the SGC and on three occasions since he has been in exile. By helping them, he has also helped you.

It is now common knowledge that he and my daughter fled the Earth for very good personal reasons. I ask you in the name of peace, but more, I admit, as the grandfather of their children, to return him to us. He is no longer a threat to you. Show that you not only wield the greatest influence on this planet, but the degree of humanity that must accompany such power."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sam had felt awed by her father's speech two days previously. Two nights without sleep, and a few false alarms later, she again sprinted through to the workshop and the Asgard communicator. As Jack's face appeared in the air above the transmission device, she reached out, half expecting to touch him.

"Hey." was all he said, with a grin. It was more than enough. He reached out with the palm of his hand towards the image of hers, as though they could actually touch.

"Hey yourself." was all she could manage through the tears.

After staring in silence at each other for what seemed like minutes, he murmured "Home by tonight, OK? Oh, and an old friend is looking after me. You'll see who. Just a few bruises, nothing more." The image faded before she could respond.

Throughout the day, Kathrin and Bart could tell that their mother was excited by something, and kept asking how long until they would know what. As children everywhere will show, the mere statement that `Daddy's coming home' wasn't that special to them compared to other days, but Sam's extraordinarily good mood was just too great an opportunity to waste, and anything they wanted – games, sweets or *anything* – was given without argument or hesitation.

Finally, as dusk descended, Sam and the children rushed out of the house to meet the sound of horses arriving. As Jack's feet touched the ground, Sam threw her arms around him and buried her head in his shoulder. She drew back as the kids raced in, and Jack knelt down to greet them. "Never again, Jack! Tell me never again!" He wasn't going to argue.

Janet Fraiser smiled down at the scene from her horse, when Sam looked up and noticed her for the first time. As she dismounted, Sam greeted her long-lost friend in much the same manner as she had Jack.

As much as he loved his family, Jack was glad that Sam and Janet would spend the evening catching up with each other. He ached from the beatings after his arrest and wanted nothing more than to rest in his own bed and receive the Doctor's professional attention for a day or two.

He woke when Sam got into bed in the early hours and put her arms around him.

"Janet OK in the spare room?" he mumbled.

"Oh yes. She says you'll be fully active again in a few days. Time enough for you to plan a house extension, anyway."

"Why, have we adopted her?"

"Noooo. But we're going to have another argument about names. No more Simpsons, this time."

"What?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

ted.sadler@ntlworld.com




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